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Morbihan
| coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = France | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Brittany | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | seat_type = Prefecture | seat = Vannes | parts_type = Subprefectures | parts_style = para | p1 = Lorient Pontivy | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = President of the General Council | leader_name = François Goulard | unit_pref = Metric | area_magnitude = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 6823 | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_min_m = | elevation_max_m = | population_footnotes = | population_total = 737778 | population_as_of = 2013 | population_rank = 31st | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_note = | blank_name_sec1 = Department number | blank_info_sec1 = 56 | blank_name_sec2 = Arrondissements | blank_info_sec2 = 3 | blank1_name_sec2 = Cantons | blank1_info_sec2 = 21 | blank2_name_sec2 = Communes | blank2_info_sec2 = 253 | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | iso_code = | website = | footnotes = French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2 }} Morbihan ( ; , ) is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan (small sea in Breton), the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline. It is noted for its Carnac stones, which predate and are more extensive than the Stonehenge monument that is more familiar to English speakers. History Morbihan is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from a part of the Duchy of Brittany. Geography Morbihan is part of the current region of Brittany and is surrounded by the departments of Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Loire-Atlantique, and the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest. The Gulf of Morbihan has many islands: 365 according to legend, but, in reality, between 30 and 40, depending on how they are counted. There are also many islets which are too small to be built on. Of these islands, all but two are private: l'Île-aux-Moines and l'Île-d'Arz. The others are privately owned, some by movie stars or fashion designers. In the department of Morbihan, but outside the Gulf, there are four inhabited islands: *Belle Île *Groix *Houat *Hoëdic *Meaban, just outside the Port du Crouesty is an ornithological reserve and it is forbidden to alight there. The largest towns in Morbihan are Vannes and Lorient. Art and culture The Breton language is an important issue, with many advocating bilingual education. The painter Raymond Wintz (1884–1956) depicted locations around the Gulf of Morbihan. Governance As of 2014, the préfet of Morbihan is Jean-François Savy, previously head of the Prefectures of Ardennes and of Hautes-Alpes. Tourism * The Carnac stones, megalithic alignments of Carnac are situated in Morbihan. * Tourism office of Auray File:Vieux-quartier-port-vannes.jpg|Vannes File:Entre Golfe Morbihan.JPG|The Gulf of Morbihan is a popular sailing destination File:Château de Rochefort-en-Terre (cour 1).jpg|Rochefort-en-Terre File:Bagad.JPG|The bagad of Lann-Bihoué File:Kerlescan.JPG|Carnac stones See also *Cantons of the Morbihan department *Communes of the Morbihan department *Arrondissements of the Morbihan department *La Baule - Guérande Peninsula References External links * Prefecture website * General Council website * * 56 Cultural Heritage * Tourism website * Hiking in Morbihan Category:Morbihan Category:1790 establishments in France Category:Departments of Brittany